Morales-Ramos Juan A, Macchiano Anthony, Rojas Maria Guadalupe
USDA-ARS, National Biological Control Laboratory, Biological Control of Pests Research Unit, Stoneville, MS, USA.
J Econ Entomol. 2025 Feb 11;118(1):71-82. doi: 10.1093/jee/toae298.
The yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor L., is one of the most important industrialized insects worldwide. As a poikilotherm, T. molitor requires a temperature-regulated environment for its farming. Currently, the farming of T. molitor uses temperatures between 29 and 31°C determined to be optimal for maximizing growth. This study was aimed to test and determine optimal temperature for T. molitor impacting all stages including their development, reproduction, and fitness. Pupae of T. molitor were exposed to 8 different temperatures (18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, and 39°C). Developmental rates (=1/d to develop) were calculated at 8 temperatures and fitted in a poikilotherm model to determine the temperature with the highest developmental rate (developmental maximum, To). The developmental maximum was 33°C and the thermal maximum (tm) (lethal temperature) was 39°C. The biological and demographic parameters of T. molitor were compared at 3 favorable temperatures below the To (31, 29, and 27°C) to determine the fitness of T. molitor populations. Fecundity and egg viability were the highest at 27°C (5.25 eggs/female/d and 73.99%, respectively) and the lowest at 31°C (1.55 eggs/female/d and 27.14%, respectively). The shortest larval development time was observed at 27°C and the longest at 31°C (142.81 and 161.97 d, respectively). The highest fitness was observed at 27°C with a population doubling time of 32.78 d compared to 40.58 and 239.4 d at 29 and 31°C, respectively. In conclusion, 27°C is closer to the optimal temperature for T. molitor productivity than 29°C, thus reducing its farming energy needs.
黄粉虫（Tenebrio molitor L.）是全球最重要的工业化养殖昆虫之一。作为变温动物，黄粉虫养殖需要温度可控的环境。目前，黄粉虫养殖所使用的温度在29至31°C之间，该温度范围被确定为能使生长最大化的最佳温度。本研究旨在测试并确定影响黄粉虫各个阶段（包括发育、繁殖和健康状况）的最佳温度。将黄粉虫蛹置于8种不同温度（18、21、24、27、30、33、36和39°C）下。计算了8种温度下的发育速率（=发育天数的倒数），并将其拟合到变温动物模型中，以确定发育速率最高时的温度（发育最适温度，To）。发育最适温度为33°C，热上限温度（tm）（致死温度）为39°C。在低于To的3个适宜温度（31、29和27°C）下比较了黄粉虫的生物学和种群统计学参数，以确定黄粉虫种群的健康状况。产卵量和卵的活力在27°C时最高（分别为5.25枚卵/雌虫/天和73.99%），在31°C时最低（分别为1.55枚卵/雌虫/天和27.14%）。幼虫发育时间最短出现在27°C，最长出现在31°C（分别为142.81天和161.97天）。在27°C时观察到最高的健康状况，种群倍增时间为32.78天，相比之下，在29°C和31°C时分别为40.58天和239.4天。总之，与29°C相比，27°C更接近黄粉虫生产的最佳温度，从而降低了其养殖所需的能量。
